Tray



Dec. 29,1925 1,567,045

C. W. EBEL TRAY Filed May 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES CHAR-LES W. EBEL, OF LA FAYETTE, INDIANA.

TRAY.

Application filed May 16, 1925.

. V T all whom it mag "concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. EBEL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at La Fayette, in the county of Tippecanoe and the State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Trays,

of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to trays, the tray of my invention being formed in relatively adjustablesections whereby one section may be superimposed upon the other for purposes of shipment and storage. In accordance with one characteristic of the invention one tray section is provided with legs that are adapted to stably support this section, the other tray section having a leg or legs adapted only partially to support it, the first tray section cooperating with the legs of the second tray section to stably support the latter tray section. A railing is desirably provided upon each tray section and where each tray section is provided with a raihng the railings of both tray sections are together around the ent-ire tray when the tray is adjusted for use. In order that the space occupied by the tray, when folded, may be reduced as much as possible the railings on the tray sections are in nesting relation when the tray sections are folded together.

The tray of my invention is ofa special utility when constructed to have one section capable of supporting an infants bath tub, the other tray section serving to hold the infant in preparation for or after its bath.

The tray, when employed for this purpose, is desirably constructed of woven w1re and the legs that support the tray sections are desirably formed and arrranged to rest upon the rim of an adult sized bath tub. Any water which may spill from the infants bath tub or otherwise fall toward the bottom of in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating-an adult sized bath tub, partially in section, atray of my invention supported upon the rim of this bath tub and an infants H bath tub supported upon one of the, sections ofthe tray; Fig. 2 is a plan View of the parts illustrated in Fig. 1, omitting the infants bath tub; Fig. 3 shows the tray with its sections folded together; Fig. t is a sectional View of the part of the structure on Serial No. 30,726.

line of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a sectional view on l1ne 55 of Fig. 4 and Fig. 6 is a perspective View illustrating portions of the two tray sections at one of the hinges that oin the sections. The tray sections 1 and 2 are desirably formed of woven wire. The tray section 1 has a wire railing extending partially around it and composed of a heavy upper rail 3 and bracing connections of wire 4 which join the rail 3 with the heavy wire rim .5 of said section 1. The other tray section is similarly formed with a heavy wire rim 6 and is provided with a railing that extends completely around it. This has a heavy wire rail portion 7 which is joined with the heavy wire rim 6 by bracings 8 of wire. Hinge pintles 9 are carried by the heavy wire rim 6 of the tray section 2, these pintles being the out turned ends of heavy wire bracket like portions 10 which are assembled with the wire rim 6 by the hooks 11 which are wrapped about the wire portions 6 and 10. These pintles 9 are thus carried by the sides of the tray section 2. Hinge sockets 12 are formed in the downward continuations 3 of the wire rail portion 3 that are located substantially in line with the sides of the tray section 2 and the structure is made very firm by means of soldered joints 13 between the downward continuations 3 of the wire rail portion 3 and the heavy wire rim 5 of the rail section 1. The hinge sockets, which receive the pintles are substantially midway between the rail portion 3 and the bottom of the tray section 1 having this rail portion. The gap bet-ween the downward continuations 3 of the heavy wire railing portion 3 is sufficient to permit the tray section 2 to be swung into the space surrounded by the railing upon tray section 1 when the tray is folded, the railings upon the two trays nesting one within the other, when tray is folded, to economize space for shipment and storage. hen the tray is opened for use the inner transverse edge of the railing upon tray section 2 closes the gap that is in the adjacent portion of the railing of the other tray section 1. The arran'gement is thus such that the railings upon both tray sections are around the entire tray when the tray is opened for use and one of these railings is disposed entirely around the tray section carrying it and serves to close the gap in the railing upon the other tray section.

The tray of my invention finds a very 1 upon an adult sized bath tub 15. The tray 1 is desirably provided with a number of legs 16 having feet 17 conforming to the rim 18 of the bath tub 15, these legs serving stably to support the tray section 1 upon the bath tub 15. In order that the legs 16 may be adapted to rest upon bath tubs of different sizes I desirably form these legs with upper horizontal branches 1.9 which are adjustably assembled with anchors 20 formed formed of strip iron located at and assembled with the bottom of the tray section 1. The

anchors 20 are formed with slots 22 and the leg branches 19 are formed with slots 23 registering with slots 22 or lapping the same ac-' cording to the adjustment effected. The anchors 2O carry depending bolts 24 passing through the slots 23 and having heads which underlie the legs branches 19. Bolts 25 pass freely through the slots 22 and 23. These bolts have heads 26 which overlie the anchor plates 20. They also have wing nuts 27 which underlie the leg branches 19. When the legs are to be adjusted inwardly or outwardly the wing nuts 27 are loosened 1 and when the desired adjustment has been secured they are tightened. The tray sec tion 2 is shownwith two legs 28 near its outer, curved, end, these legs being constructed similarly to the legs provided for the tray section 1, but desirably being fur ther connected with the tray section 2 by wire struts 29. The two legs 28 provided forthe tray section 2 cooperate with tray section 1 and the legs that stably support this tray section in stably supporting tray section 2.

It is obvious that the tray of my invention may be adapted to be supported upon other supports than the rims of bath tubs.

-t It is also obvious that the tray of my invention is adapted for other uses than the use. herein particularly set forth.

Changes may be made without departing from my invention.

" H aving thusdescribed my invention, I

claim:

. 1. A tray formed in sections that are hingedtogether, one of these tray sections having a railing terminating at the sides and hinged edge of the second tray section which latter tray section has a railing around it, the transverse portion of this latter railing at the hinged edges of the tray sections substantially closing the gap between the ends of the first railing when the tray is adjusted for use, the second tray section being receivable Within the railing oi the first when the tray sections are superimposed, one upon the other.

2. A tray formed in sections that are hinged together, one of these tray sections having a railing terminating at the sides and hinged edge of the second tray section which latter tray section has a railing around it, the transverse portion of this latter railing at the hinged edges of the'tray sections substantially closing the gap be.- tween the ends of the first railing when the tray is adjusted for use.

3. A tray formed in sections that are hinged together and having. railings that are together around the tray when the tray is adjusted for use, the railing upon one tray section being continued across this section at its hinged edge to be individually around this'section.

4. A tray formed in sections that are relatively adjustable to permit one to be snperimposed upon the other, one of these tray sections having a railing terminating at the sides and adjacent transverse edge of the second tray section which latter tray section has a railing around it, the transverse portion of this latter railing at the adjacent transverse edges of the tray section substantially closing the gap between the ends of the first railing when the tray is adjusted for use, the second tray'section being receivable within the railing of the first when the tray sections are superimposed, one upon the other.

5. A tray formed in sections that are relatively adjustable 'topermit one to be superimposed upon the other, one of these tray sections having a railing terminating at the sides and adjacent transverse edge of the secondtray section which latter tray section has a railing around it, the transverse portion of this latter railing at the ad jacent transverse edges of the tray sections substantially closing the gap between the ends of the first railing when the tray-is adjusted for use.

6. A tray formed in sections that are relatively adjusted to permit one to be superimposed upon the other and having railings that are together around the tray when the tray is adjusted for use, the railing upon one tray section being continued across this section at the adjacent transverse edges of the tray sections to be individually around this section.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name. V

CHARLES W. EBEL. 

